Light in the times of darkness
by AliceParrilla18
Summary: ENDGAME SPOILERS! Tony and Pepper ask Natasha to be their daughter's godmother. Missing scene from the movie. Pepperony, Natasha&Tony friendship.


**A/N : WARNING : Endgame spoilers!**

**The story takes place about six months after the Avengers killed Thanos on Garden, and each of them went their own way. I really missed Natasha&Tony scenes in the movie, so I decided to write one myself. And I deeply believe that Nat is Morgan's godmother, so if you don't like the idea, you don't have to read. English is not my main language, so I'm very sorry for mistakes (please remember that we're all humans and what we're doing here is just for fun). Comments are appreciated. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER : Not mine, everything belongs to MCU.**

* * *

When she pressed the "answer" button on the screen of her phone and when she put it to her ear, she didn't expect to hear his voice.

''Hello?"

''Natasha? Hi." He sounded much better that she saw him last time, when Carol Danvers brought him back from space and when he stepped out of the space ship, skinny, dehydrated and weak.

''Hi, Tony," she answered and sat down on the sofa in the living area, crossing her legs. ''How are you feeling?"

''Much better, thank you. And now it's almost like it used to be. I'm full of endorphins." Natasha shook her head with a smile.

''Good. Sounds like being a dad suits you."

''Yeah, about that. That's actually why I'm calling you."

''What, Pepper left you alone with an infant an you can't change a diaper?"

''Believe me or not, but through this past two months I became a master in changing diapers. Seriously, I could do it with my eyes closed," he said and Natasha could almost see a smirk forming on his lips.

She laughed quietly. ''I'm impressed."

''Back to the subject, I won't make it long. Pepper and I wanted to ask you a favour, though I don't know if it's a right world for this."

''Okay, I'm scared now."

''We talked a lot about it, and we both came to the conclusion that you would be the best person," he said quickly, as if he was afraid of her reaction.

''What is it, Tony?" she asked curiously, frowning and leaning forward on her seat.

''Pepper and I would like you to become Morgan's godmother."

Natasha choked on the air. Her lips and eyes opened in shock.

Natasha didn't believe in any gods. In the Red Room, where she spent her entire childhood, only two rules were instilled in her : kill and survive so that she could kill further. No god has ever been introduced to her, so she had nothing to believe in, except her instincts and skills. Besides, she doubted that after all she had done in her life, any god would watch over her and take care of her. She didn't wonder where life came from or where she would go after her death. The beginning and the end were abstract concepts for her. She didn't believe, because she never needed to. She never found herself in an environment in which it would play a role, either.

''Oh," she breathed out after a moment of silence. She shook her head to get her brain to start thinking. ''I don't know what to say-''

''You don't have to agree, of course. Not now, or not at all, if you don't want to. We know that we're askink for a lot."

''I-''

''It's not so big deal for me, but it is for Pepper, so that's why we made a decision. We'd thought about you, because that's you who were beside us from the beginning, and you know how it is those days-''

''Stark, I-''

''We'll really understand if you won't agree. It's not a decision you make in a second. It's fine, seriously. If you don't want to-''

''Tony," she said, raising her voice to break through his pointless chatter. She heard him swallowing.

''Yes?" she smiled, though she knew that he couldn't see it.

''I'd love to be your daughter's godmother," she said. The man was silent for a moment, as if thinking if he understood her words well.

''But- Are you sure?" he asked after a moment. ''Because if you don't-''

''I'm sure. If only you're sure that you want to trust me with such an important role in your child's life, I will be honored to do so." She heard him release the held air from his lungs with relief. It caused a smile to appear on her face. ''Who's gonna be the godfather?"

''Rhodey."

''I thought so."

After these words, silence fell between them for a few minutes. They haven't seen each other for almost half a year. Neither of them knew or felt strong enough to keep the conversation going.

''Alright, then," Stark cleared his throat. ''It will be a modest ceremony, only for our five, in a church not far from our house. I'll send you the exact address and date soon."

''Sure, I'll be waiting. So, see you soon, then?"

''I guess so." She was just about to hang up when he stopped her. ''Natasha?"

''Yes?"

''Thanks. You know, for everything." She smiled again.

''You're welcome."

''Take care."

''You too. Bye."

She pressed the red button to end the call and put the phone down on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa, sighing and wondering what she was about to do. She didn't believe in god, but she had people who believed in her. Tony and Pepper were her friends. And what won't you do for friends, right?

* * *

Less than three weeks later, on a sunny Sunday morning, Natasha found herself at the door of a small wooden church standing on a pretty clearing near the forest, questioning whether her decision was correct or not.

She stood in front of the old door for several minutes now, biting her lip and stepping from foot to foot. Only six months have passed since their defeat, the wounds after the loss of their friends and loved ones were still fresh. The Avengers broke apart, and each of them went their separate ways. The world was in grieve, which changed it forever. But still, life continued. And even though she knew about it, Natasha felt guilty for every breath she took.

What was she doing here? Someone like her, somebody who had failed the world in such a terrible way, didn't deserve to go on, to continue what was left and create new on the ruins of the old. She agreed to Tony's request under the impulse, not really thinking about what she was doing. What influenced her decision? Loneliness, regret? Jealousy? Was she really so desperate to at least for a moment feel like before again, when everyone was one big family and there was no thing in the world that they couldn't do? She didn't feel like she deserved it.

At the moment she took the first step back, the door opened with a creak, and before she could even think about moving again, the blond haired figure crushed her in a hug. Natasha held her breath for a moment, but after a while she relaxed and put her hand on the woman's back.

''Oh, Natasha, it's so good to see you," said Pepper, finally letting the redhead from her grip. Natasha smiled.

''I'm happy to see you, too," she answered, squizzing the woman's arm. ''You look good, Pepper. You're glowing." She smiled too, but it didn't reach her eyes. She brushed off the invisible folds of the light-brown dress she was wearing and put her hair behind her ear. The rays of the sun reflected on her wedding ring.

''Thank you, but I was trying to cover the shadows under my eyes for almost half an hour," she said.

Natasha cleared her throat. ''Is everyone here already?" she asked, changing a subject. The blonde nodded.

''Yes, we were waiting for you. Everything's ready, come on." Pepper grabbed Natasha's hand and pulled her inside.

* * *

The ceremony was pretty and short, for which Natasha was grateful, because avoiding the priest's glance when she wasn't saying words of prayer with the others began to tire her. And although she respected a long tradition, she still couldn't understand a sense of watering a screaming child. The drums in her ears almost burst when, despite Pepper's efforts, the child was screaming as if stripped of skin. And she could already feel the coming migraine.

However, an hour later, when they went to Tony and Pepper's new, wooden house for dinner, and when she could finally take the girl in her arms for the first time, Natasha forgot about it all, focused on a small ball wrapped in a pink blanket in her embrace. Though tiny, Morgan was a beautiful child, even nicer than on the pictures Tony sent her just after her birth. She had thick pink cheeks and a few delicate dark hairs on top of her head. Pushing a fist into her mouth, the girl was looking at Natasha with a flash in her big eyes she got from her dad. Her goddaughter. Natasha liked the sound of the word.

''So," Pepper spoke, brushing her mouth with the napkin after they finished eating. ''How things has been going? Anything new?"

''Not really," answered Rhodey, putting his plate aside and leaning his elbows on the table. ''We're thinking and looking for ideas all the time, but I guess that what had happened and how important it is to even try to think of something didn't get to everyone yet. It will take some time before the world gathers itself enough to start functioning again."

''And what about the others? Steve, Banner, Barton, Thor?" asked Tony. ''Anything from them?"

Rhodey shook his head. ''Rogers started running a support group for people, Banner wasn't seen since he locked himself in his lab, there's still no contact with Thor." The man paused, glancing nervously at Natasha. ''And Hawkeye, well, he's-''

''Unavailable," Natasha cut him off, unconsciously tightening her grip on the baby, and raised her head, though avoiding looking into anyone's eyes. Her partner and best friend, after losing his family, changed from a hero into a vengeful bandit. She knew it perfectly, they didn't have to.

''I wish that there was something more for us to do," Pepper sighed and lowered her gaze at her hands.

''Yeah," Tony sighed too, leaning on the back of his chair.

For a moment, a heavy silence fell between them.

The uncomfortable moment was interrupted by Rhodey, who cleared his throat and reached out to his goddaughter, still trying to push a fist into her mouth.

''Okay, my turn now," he said and stood up to take the child from the redhead. Natasha gently handed him the girl, belaying her head with her hand. The moment she was in his arms, Morgan made a face looking at him, and began to cry. Rhodey opened his eyes wide in panic and began to swing her, trying to calm her down. ''Shhh, don't cry. Uncle Rhodey isn't that scary, is he?" In response, however, the child began to cry even louder. Morgan's face flushed with screams, and Rhodey's face faded with fear. ''Maybe she's hungry?"

''I fed her before dinner, so she shouldn't be," Pepper answered.

''So why is she crying?"

''Maybe she just likes her aunt more than her uncle?" Natasha spoke, looking with amusement at the man. He frowned.

''Oh, you think so?"

''Yes."

''Fine, let's find out."

He came to Natasha and gave her the baby back. The girl gradually stopped crying until she finally calmed down completely. Natasha grinned at Rhodey in win. He lowered his hands, resigned.

''How?" he only breathed out, sitting back down on his seat.

''Amazing," Pepper said, shaking her head in disbelief. ''She's never calming down so quickly, not to mention with somebody who she's just met."

Natasha only shrugged her shoulders and smirked. ''I'm just charming."

''Injustice," Rhodey snorted and stood up again. ''I'll be right back."

''Try not to tear up there, princess," Natasha said after him.

''I'll try my best," he snorted again and went to the bathroom.

''Oh, the dessert! I have a cake left in the owen!" Pepper jumped to her feet and ran to the kitchen.

Tony stood up to follow her, but Natasha stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

''Hey, Tony?"

''Yes?" he asked, turning to her.

Natasha looked him in the eyes. ''Thank you for choosing me for Morgan's godmother. You have no idea how much it means to me."

Tony smiled and squizzed her arm. ''I can't imagine anyone else on this place," he said with a gentle look in his eyes, and Natasha felt warmer at her heart. The man nodded at the kitchen. ''I'm going to help Pepper. Will you two be okay?"

''We'll be fine, go," she answered with a small smile.

When he left, Natasha looked at the child in her arms. The girl became interested in Natasha's hair and began playing with it with her wet hands. The woman's heart was filling more and more every second with endless love to this little creature. She knew that she had done a lot of bad things in her life and that nothing could change that. But little Morgan had something in herself what made Natasha forget about all of this, and she already knew that she'd give her life for this child without hesitation.

Morgan was for them all one of those things they needed to hang on to so that they wouldn't go crazy. A reminder of the old life they had to fight to get back for. Morgan hasn't experienced suffering, hasn't experience the pain of loss, and Natasha swore in her mind that she would do everything in her power to keep it that way. She will protect the daughter of her friends at all costs.

The little girl smiling sweetly in her arms was a light in the dark that each of them had to protect. She was the hope that everyone needed the most.

**THE END**


End file.
